DocumentsStaff ReportMar 16, 2020Pages 1–2
Staff Report to Council - Reduction in Meetings and Amendment to Council Procedures Bylaw
Staff recommend temporarily reducing Council and committee meeting frequency and amending the Council Procedures Bylaw to allow remote (electronic) participation in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The report outlines legal/financial implications, options for reducing meetings, and recommended readings for the amending bylaw.
Key facts
- Date: March 16, 2020
- Office address: 2nd Floor, 877 Goldstream Avenue, Langford, BC V9B 2X8
- Recommendation option to reduce Council meetings to one per month starting April 2020
- Recommendation option to temporarily suspend all committee meetings
- Recommendation to give 1st, 2nd and 3rd reading to 'Council Procedure Bylaw, Amendment No. 2, Bylaw No. 1701'
Staff Report to Council - Reduction in Meetings and Amendment to Council Procedures Bylaw
2nd Floor · 877 Goldstream Avenue · Langford, BC Canada · V9B 2X8
T · 250-478-7882 F · 250-478-7864
Date:
March 16, 2020
Department:
Administration
Subject:
Reduction in Meetings and Amendment to Council Procedures Bylaw
Background and Commentary
Due to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, public health officials are urging a reduction in public gatherings. Council may wish to reduce the Council meeting schedule and suspend committee meetings to reduce the chance of COVID-19 transmission in Langford. Council may also wish to amend the Council Procedures Bylaw to enable meetings to be held remotely (with Council, staff and the public calling in).
Community Charter s. 128 2(c)ii requires the City to have one staff member present at a physical location where the public can hear the meeting, so this will reduce the number of people present but does not eliminate the physical meeting entirely.
Financial Implications
Council meetings and public hearings will still be held often enough that the reduction in meeting frequency, in itself, will not impact City business.
Legal Implications
Amendments to the Council Procedures Bylaw are required to be advertised once each week for two consecutive weeks. These will be placed on March 20 and 27, prior to potential adoption on April 6. The amendment, as drafted, has been reviewed by the City’s lawyers.
Options
- THAT Council reduce the number of Council meetings to one per month, starting in April 2020;
AND
- THAT Council temporarily suspend all committee meetings;
AND
- THAT Council give 1st, 2nd and 3rd reading to the “Council Procedure Bylaw, Amendment No. 2, Bylaw No. 1701”.
OR
- THAT Council not change the Council and Committee meeting schedule OR amend the Council Procedure Bylaw at this time.
Respectfully submitted,
Submitted by:
Adriana Proton, Manager of Legislative Services
Concurrence:
Braden Hutchins, Director of Corporate Services
Concurrence:
Darren Kiedyk, Chief Administrative Officer